Energy management systems (EMSs) are associated with at least some known vehicles. For example, at least some known vehicles include EMSs onboard the vehicle. The EMS associated with a vehicle uses a trip plan that dictates one or more operations of a propulsion system (e.g., traction motors, brakes) of the vehicle during a trip of the vehicle within a transportation network. The trip plan may be generated using a trip profile that includes information related to the vehicle, the route, and/or surface on which the vehicle travels, the geography over which the route or surface extends, and/or other information. The trip plan can be used to control, for example, the propulsion system of the vehicle to change and/or set the tractive and/or braking efforts of the propulsion system as the vehicle travels over different segments of the trip according to the trip plan.
EMSs are often utilized to control propulsion operations of a vehicle during a trip to increase efficiency (e.g., reduce fuel consumption, reduce emissions, and/or the like) of the vehicle. But, in some circumstances, a vehicle may need to travel as fast as possible with no regard to efficiency. For example, a vehicle may get behind schedule during a trip and may therefore need to travel at an increased speed to compensate for the delay and thereby complete the trip at the scheduled arrival time. Moreover, and for example, some rail vehicles are “hot shot” vehicles, which are relatively fast, non-stop trains that are given priority on railroad tracks. The operation of hot shot trains are typically concerned with completing trips in the shortest time possible at the expense of efficiency.
But, it may be unlawful and/or unsafe to operate a vehicle at an increased speed without regard to efficiency. For example, the vehicle may violate a posted speed limit, which may increase a cost of the trip via associated fines and/or may cause unsafe operation of the vehicle. Unsafe operation of the vehicle may cause the vehicle to disobey a traffic signal and thereby possibly cause a traffic accident, which may result in property damage (e.g., to the vehicles involved) and/or injury to the operators of the vehicle and/or pedestrians. Unsafe operation of the vehicle may cause an operator or automated control system to lose control of the vehicle, which may result in an accident that damages the vehicle, damages nearby structures, and/or injures the operator of the vehicle and/or pedestrians. One specific example of the loss of control of a vehicle caused by excessive speed is the derailment of a train from a rail track.
Moreover, and for example, operating a vehicle at an increased speed without regard to efficiency may cause damage to the vehicle. For example, components of the vehicle may not be rated for a particular speed and may therefore malfunction and/or fail when such a speed is exceeded by the vehicle. One specific problem with rail vehicles is that a group of interconnected rail vehicles (e.g., a train, a consist, etc.) may break apart from each other when the rail vehicle group exceeds a particular speed. Such a breakup of a group of interconnected rail vehicles can result in significant property damage, injury, and/or delays within the rail network.